Record-lifting device



W. A. RICHMAN.

RECORD LIFTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED .IULY27, 1920.

1,390,546. Patentedsept. 13, 1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

3% WWW W. A. RICHMAN.

RECORD LIFTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY27, 1920.

1,390,546. PatentedSept. 13, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHED 2.

Z5 17 Pic/mum wvf W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

warren A. Riemann, or EGG'I-IARBOB, NEW qnnsnr.

To all whom it may concern.

I Be it known that I, VVALTER A. RIoH AN, a citizen of the United States residing at Egg Harbor, in the county'of Atlantic and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Record- Lifting Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to sound reproduction apparatus and more particularly to a means for lifting disk records from the turntables of such apparatus. Phonographs and the like employingflat disk records have been heretofore so constructed that more. or less difiiculty is'experienced in liftwhich itis supported during the reproduc tion period, it being necessary to engage ones finger nails beneath the periphery of the record with the attendant likelihood of slipping of the finger and scratching of the record.

Also in the use of the ordinary phonograph, it is practically impossible'to change records while the turntable is rotating and desired'to change records while the turntable is rotating, nevertheless it may be found an advantage to do so and the present invention-therefore contemplates the prov1- sion of means for lifting the record from the turntable regardless of the position of rotation of the turntable or whether the turntable be stationary or rotating.

Another object of the invention 'is to supported in position above the turntable a suflicient distance to permit of the passage of ones fingers beneath the periphery of'the record for the removal thereof:

I phonograph of a'well-known type Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken in a plane passing through the axis of theturntable RECORD-LIFTING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept 13 1921. Application filed July 27, 1920. Serial No. 399,314.

F ig; 3 is a perspective view illustrating the parts comprising the device partially disassembled;

Fig. 4 is a Vertical longitudinal sectional view through the operating means of the upper end 3 to which is frictionally removably fitted the hub 4; of the record turntable which is indicated ingeneral by the numeral 5.

ingj thegrecord from the flat turntable upon The turntable 5 is provided centrally with a depressed or sunken portion 6, and a face 7 of felt or any other suitable friction material is applied to the upper side of the table as is customary. The sunken.

prises' a circular plate 9 provided upon its upper surface with a facing 10 which may be of'the same material as the facing 7,

- and the said plate 9 is formed axially with an opening 11 to register with the openings in the hub of the turntable 5 and to accommodate the upper end '3' of the spindle 2. The plate 9"is held for rotation with the turntable by means of pins 12 which project downwardly from the under side of the --plate preferably at or adjacent its-periphso construct the device that in its opera tion the record will be lifted evenly and cry and-fit loosely slidably through openings 13 formed in the bottom of the depressed portion 6- of the turntable. At their lower ends thesepins support an annulus 14 which is concentric to the axis of the turntable; 'VVhile as stated the plate 9 is connected for rotation with the turntable 5 and normally assumes the' lowered position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, in which position it is housed within the depressed portion 6 of the turntable with the upper surface of its facing 10 substantially flush with the surface of the facing 7 ofthe turntable, it will be evident that any means acting with pressure in an upward direction against the annulus 14 would serve to eleof rotation of th y turntable or whether the turntable was stationary at the time or rotating. Consequently, by exerting pressure in an upward direction against the ring 14, a record supported upon the turntable 5 will be lifted in the upward movement of the plate 9 to such position that ones fingers.

may be readily inserted beneath its periphery for the purpose of entirely removing it from the apparatus.

In the drawings I have illustrated one means which may be employed for the purpose of coacting with the ring 14 to elevate and lower the lifting plate 9 and this means is best shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings and includes a small shaft 15 which if desired may be formed from wire bent to the required form and to provide crank portions 16, 17 and 18. The shaft 15 is journaled in suitable bearings 19 of simple construction which may be readily secured in place upon the bottom board of the case or cabinet 1, and the shaft is so mounted that its portion between its cranks 16 and 17 will extend relatively close to the spindle 2 with the said cranks located at diametrically opposite sides of the spindle and equidistantly spaced therefrom and furthermore located immediately below the annulus 14. Anti-friction rollers 20 and 21 are loosely mounted upon the crank portions 16 and 17 respectively and are designed to ride against the under side of the annulus 14 when the shaft 15 is rotated or rocked so as to swing the cranks in an upward or downward direction, the annulus 14 being likewise adapted to ride over these rollers if the turntable 5 is rotated while the shaft is in position with the cranks 16 and 17 upstanding. Normally the shaft 15 is caused to assume the position shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings in which position the cranks 16 and 17 are lowered and the rollers 20 and 21 rest in depressions 22 formed in the upper side of the top board of the case or cabinet but when the shaft is'rotated or rocked so as to swing the cranks 16 and 17 in an upward direction, these friction rolls will be caused to ride beneath the annulus 14 thus exerting pressure in an upward direction against the annulus and causing upward movement of the lifting plate 9.

The means provided for rocking the shaft 15 comprises a shifting actuating member 23 in the nature of a bar or rod 24 slidably fitted through openings 25 formed in the end walls of a rectangular casing 26 which is provided at its bottom with means 27 whereby it may be attached to the top board of the case or cabinet 1 in any convenient position, and the said rod Or bar 24 is provided at each of its ends with a button or finger piece 28 so that pressure may be exerted against either end of the rod or bar to shift the same in the corresponding direction. A leaf spring 29 is engaged at its ends with lugs 30 formed upon the upper ends of the end walls of the casing 26, and this spring is provided between its ends with a downwardly deflected portion 31 lying close to the rod or bar 24. An anti-friction roller 32 is mounted upon the upper side of the bar or rod 24 and is designed to ride against the under side of the spring 29 and it will be evident that when the rod or bar 24 is shifted by pressing against either of its ends, the said roller 32 will ride beneath the downwardly deflected portion 31 of the spring 29 until it assumes a position at the opposite side of the said portion. Thus the spring 29 offers a suitable resistance to shifting movement of the member 23 and serves also to maintain this member in either of its positions of shifting movement. A suitable cover 33 may be provided for the casing 26. The crank 18 is located at that end of the shaft 15 which is located next adjacent the actuating member 23 and carries an anti-friction roller 34 which works in a suitable guide 35 depending from the rod or bar 24. It will be understood, of course, that the guide or yoke 35, the crank 18 and its anti-friction roller 34, the spring 29, and the member 23, except for the button carrying ends of the latter, are housed within the casing 26 so that the ac tuating mechanism as a whole does not pre sent an unsightly appearance.

'In the use of the device, the lifting plate 9 being in the lowered position shown in Fig. 2, a record may be placed upon the turntable and the record reproduced in the usual manner. After the record has been placed, the tone arm of the apparatus is swung clear of the turntable in'the usual way and then the right hand end of the actuating member 23 in Fig. 1 of the drawings may be pressed so as to shift the member and rock the shaft 15 to swing the cranks 16 and 17 in an upward direction. As the cranks are thus moved, they will ride against the annulus 14 thus lifting the plate 9 and elevating the record bodily above the turntable so that the operators fingers may be readily inserted beneath the periphery of the record.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. The combination with the turntable of a sound reproduction apparatus, of a record lifting plate associated with the table, an annulus located beneath the table and having connection with the plate through the table, a rock shaft having crank portions to ride against the annulus when the shaft is rocked in one direction, and thus move the annulus in an upward direction, and means for rocking the said shaft, the said means comprising a shiftable member having a guide, the said shaft having a crank engaging the guide.

2. The combination with the turntable of a sound reproduction apparatus, of a recordlifting member associated with the table, an annulus located beneath the table and having connection with the said member through the table, a rock shaft mounted beneath the table substantially diametrically thereof and having crank portions arranged to be elevated into cooperative engagement with the annulus when the shaft is rocked in one direction and thereby elevate the said annulus and the said record-lifting member, the shaft extending at one end beyond the periphery of the turntable, a manually shiftable actuating member located in juxtaposition to the said end of the shaft, a guide carried by the said actuating member, and a crank upon the said end of the shaft working in the guide.

3. The combination with the turntable of a sound reproduction apparatus, of a recordlifting member associated with the table, an annulus located beneath the table and having connection with the said member through the table, a rock shaft mounted beneath the table substantially diametrically thereof and having crank portions arranged to be elevated into cooperative engagement with the annulus when the shaft is rocked in one direction and thereby elevate the said annulus and the said record-lifting member, the shaft extending at one end beyond the periphery of theturntable, a manually shiftable actuating member located in juxtaposition to the said ends of the shaft, a guide carried by the said actuating member, a crank upon the said end of the shaft working in the guide, and means for holding the actuating member in its positions of shifting movement comprising a yieldable abutment,

and means carried by the actuating member for coaction with the opposite abutment.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WALTER A. 'RICHMAN. [11. 8.]

sides of said 

